Chapter 8.1 : 5 AM Samaritan

Kaiser broke the silence. “Hey… there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask.”

Kai glanced over. “Yeah?”

Kaiser leaned closer and whispered, “You whispered, ‘We’re waiting for your arrival.’” 

“...WHAT?!” Kai blinked. “THAT WASN'T ME.”

“What?!” 

 “Nope. Not my line. Stress does weird things. Maybe your brain made something up. Now go to bed.” 

Next Morning.

BZZZZZZZZZZT.

The alarm screamed at full volume beside Kaiser’s bed.

5:00 AM.

Kaiser groaned and buried his face deeper into the pillow.
“Uhhh... I just want to sleep a little more.”

Suddenly—SMACK.

An imaginary slap echoed through the back of his head.

“WAKE UP, YOU PIG!” Kai’s voice bellowed.
“It’s study time, loser! You’ve got a month before your re-exam, and you’re already wasting time!”

Kaiser peeled his eyes open, dead inside.
“I swear… one day I’m going to beat the hell out of you.”

“Yeah, whatever. Now get up,” Kai grinned, grabbing his arm forcefully—even though he couldn’t touch him.

Kaiser dragged himself out of bed like a half-decomposed zombie and shuffled to the bathroom.
Toothbrush. Water splash. A hot bath.

In the Kitchen

He opened the fridge.

Nothing edible. Just expired food.

His eyes landed on a single cup of instant noodles.

“Yummyyy,” he whispered, reaching for it.

SMACK. Another mental slap to the head.
"Ahhhgg," Kaiser exclaimed.

Kai glared.
“Don’t even think about it. Go out. Eat something real. There’s a cheap family-run joint down the street. Fresh food. Better than that garbage.”

“It’s 5 AM,” Kaiser hissed.
“It’s cold as hell. And it’s dark. Are you nuts?”

“Blah, blah, blah,” Kai snapped.
“Go. Out. Now.”

Kaiser grumbled, grabbing his hoodie.
“You’re so damn bossy.”

As he reached for the door—

“Waaait,” Kai said coldly.
“Comb your hair. You look like a beggar.”

Kaiser froze.
“Dude, nobody cares at 5 AM—”

WHACK.

“Comb. The. Hair.”

Defeated, Kaiser grabbed his comb.
Two strokes in, he caught his reflection.

He paused.

“…Huh? I kinda look good.”

Behind him, Kai mockingly twisted his face into an exaggerated blush.
“Oh my god, look at me, I’m so pretty now!”

“Shut up.”

Street Corner – Ten Minutes Later

Kaiser rubbed his hands together, a shiver running through him.
“Brrr... it’s freezing.”

The cold hit harder than expected. His breath fogged up in front of him as he walked—hoodie up, hands in pockets.
Kai floated beside him, unaffected.

Eventually, they reached a small corner café with a fogged-up glass front and a glowing yellow sign:
“Lumi’s Kitchen.”

Inside:

• A father swept the floor near the door.

• A mother worked over a counter full of fresh vegetables.

• A son wiped down tables.

• And a teenage girl, calm and focused, sat at the cashier.

Kaiser stopped at the door.

“Should I go in?” he muttered.

Kai frowned.
“No, man. Clearly they opened a restaurant because they don’t want customers. What are you even asking?”

Kaiser’s eye twitched.
“I hate you so much.”

Just then, the father looked up, smiled warmly, and opened the door for him.

“Come in, son. Don’t stand out there in the cold.”

“Uhh, thanks,” Kaiser said awkwardly, stepping inside.
The warmth from the kitchen hit him instantly.
“Smells great in here.”

He walked to the counter and ordered a simple breakfast:
Three fried eggs, cheese toast, hot milk, and tomato soup.

Kai watched silently, then leaned in close once they sat at a table.

“Didn’t expect you to talk to a pretty girl so smoothly. I thought you avoided people.”

Kaiser shrugged, sipping his water.
“I can talk to anyone. I just… usually don’t want to.”

Kai narrowed his eyes.
“Do you like her or something?”

Kaiser snarled back internally. “Idiot! She was just being polite.”

On the outside, his face remained unreadable — calm, composed, like nothing had happened.Just as Kaiser took his first bite of toast, the bell above the café door rang again.

Heavy footsteps. Fast. Uneven.

The café froze. Broom, rag, breath—everything dropped at once, like the air itself had turned to glass.

Kaiser’s eyes widened.

The entire café went dead silent—except Kai.

Kai stared at the figure.
Expression calm.
A slow grin crept across his face.

“…Interesting,” he muttered.

Kaiser turned to him, confused and worried.
“You’re not worried?”

Kai didn’t blink.
“No.”

He leaned closer to Kaiser and whispered:

“But you should be.”